


The Percy/Sally Reunion that RRR Never Bothered to Write

by WeezlBot



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Crying, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Men Crying, Suicidal Percy Jackson, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2020-07-20 06:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19987519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeezlBot/pseuds/WeezlBot
Summary: It's what the title said.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A lot of this was derived from other people's headcanons on Tumblr. So if you see something and think "Wow, I had that same idea!" just know that I saw it and admired it.

“... And what is the purpose of your visit today, young lady?” the doorman at the apartment building asked, a bit too politely. 

“I have a special present for Sally Jackson,” Annabeth replied, trying not to sound frustrated. She held Percy’s hand in hers. It had only been a few days since Gaea was defeated, but Percy had said he had one thing he felt he needed to do before he did anything else.

“Okay, I’ll let her know.” He nodded and rang the intercom. “Mrs. Jackson?”

Percy’s heart dropped into his stomach as that voice he’d wanted to hear for months crackled over the crappy intercom system. “Yes?”

“There’s a girl here for you with a special delivery.”

There was a pause. “... A girl?”

“Yeah. That one that was around here a lot around January and February.”

“... Send her up.”

The doorman turned back to Annabeth. “Go ahead and go up. You remember where it is?”

“Yes, I do. Thank you!” Before the poor befuddled doorman could mention the looming figure behind her (who he had only just recognized as the boy who had disappeared from the building eight months before), Annabeth had turned tail and ran for the stairs, dropping some strange foreign currency in front of him as a tip. 

Annabeth pulled Percy into the elevator and pushed the third-floor button. “... I just tipped him in drachmas, didn’t I?”

“Yup.” Percy leaned back against the elevator wall. He was smiling. “You did.”

“Fuck. Okay. I’ll leave him some currency that’s _usable_ in his world next time I see him,” Annabeth laughed. She gave Percy’s hand a squeeze. 

Percy nodded. He watched the number on the board tick up as the elevator rose through the building. One, two. Annabeth saw his smile melt. Three.

“You okay?” Annabeth whispered. “Hey, this is just a normal elevator. No monsters in or around it. It’s just an elevator in an apartment building.”

“... It’s my _mother’s_ _apartment_ we’re heading to,” Percy whispered. He swallowed heavily as the doors opened. 

Why was he _trembling?_

Annabeth gently led him down the hallway by his hand. Through his nervous haze, Percy marveled at how happy and bouncy she looked. It was almost enough to put a smile on his nervous face. 

She came to a stop in front of a very, very familiar door. Percy’s heart beat painfully. He wanted to run. Gods, he just wanted to run. It would be so much easier than facing the possibility, however slim, that she wouldn’t want him to come home. He slipped behind Annabeth and stood in the shadows. 

Annabeth pounded on the door. “Mrs… er, Sally!”

The door opened. Percy made a sound like a balloon being deflated. Sally Jackson stood in the doorway. She looked like she’d lost weight. Her face looked slightly thinner and paler than Percy remembered it, and her hair looked more gray. She didn’t seem to notice him. Percy’s chest burned.

“Hey, Sally. I got your special delivery,” Annabeth said, a huge grin dominating her face. 

“Oh, Annabeth, sweetie.” She gave a wan smile. “Where’s the special present? I’d love to see it.”

Annabeth stepped to the side and threw Percy out in front of her. Sally jumped back before looking up, tracing up Percy’s form with her eyes until she reached his face. She focused on him nervously for a few seconds, her brow furrowed. 

“... Hi… Mom,” Percy managed. It felt like he was speaking through the straw from a Capri Sun, his throat was so tight. 

Sally grabbed his hand and uncurled it so it was open cupped in hers. She gently touched the small scar at the center of his palm where the scorpion had stung him in his first year of camp. Percy felt her hand begin to tremble. 

“... Percy…?” she whispered. 

“... I’m sorry, Mom, I really am, I’m so sorry, I’m sorry…” The words tumbled from his lips in a hoarse whisper. 

“Is it really… you?” She reached up and traced a finger down his cheek. He looked… broken, somehow. His eyes, normally so bright and playful, now looked dull and dead. His cheek twitched under her touch. “Here, have some M&Ms. I’ve got extra.” 

Percy poked through the bowl with one tentative finger before pulling out one single blue M&M and popping it in his mouth. 

Sally threw her arms around his shoulders and a sob broke from her throat. The bowl of M&Ms fell and shattered on the floor. “It’s you! It really is you!” 

Annabeth kicked the shards into the apartment and closed the door. “It’s really him. We… well, Nico… found him wandering around San Francisco, California in the company of some Roman demigods. They’d found him gods know where and had fixed him up a bit and… well, it’s a long story,” she babbled. 

Sally shook her head. “That… that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that he’s home now.” She rubbed circles on Percy’s back with one gentle hand and eased his head into the crook of her shoulder, stroking his hair as she eased them both down to sit on the floor. Tears eked out of the corners of her eyes, making the wrinkles around them even more prominent. 

Percy bit back a sob. His chest tightened with shame. “... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“No, baby, don’t apologize. I know you wouldn’t just run away. I don’t need to know what happened if you can’t bring yourself to say.” Sally sniffled and squeezed him tight. “... I’m just glad you’re home.”

“I never wanted… I never wanted…” he squeaked.

“I know. It’s… it’s okay, baby, I’m not angry. I know you never meant anything bad. You don’t even need to tell me what happened if you can’t yet. I won’t look this gift horse in the mouth. I’m just glad you’re back, sweetheart.”

"I… I'm glad to be back," Percy stammered weakly. “I’m sorry. I love you.” His voice broke.

Sally squeezed him again, suffocatingly tight. “I love you too.”

Percy’s chest ached, his eyes burned. His whole body trembled and he bit his lip, trying not to cry. After all, he was almost seventeen. He was way too old to melt down crying into his mom’s arms. And yet, his whole body yearned for it. He wanted- _needed-_ the relief it would bring. 

He couldn’t do anything but curl up against his mother’s chest and shiver.

“... Are you cold?” Sally asked.

Percy didn’t hear her. His throat was tight and stinging. His sinuses filled and stung behind his eyes. He sniffled.

“... Would you like some privacy?” Sally whispered. 

Percy shook his head.

Sally nodded and patted Percy’s back. She looked up at Annabeth, who had swept up the glass shards and leftover M&Ms and sat down crosslegged on the floor.

Annabeth caught her eye. “You okay?”

“... Why?” Sally blurted, her voice barely above a whisper. “Why would… why would anyone... let something so bad happen to such a good kid?” Her lip trembled and she lay her head against Percy’s.

Annabeth shook her head, but said nothing.

Hearing his mother cry was too much for poor Percy, and his shoulders began to shake violently as noiseless sobs choked out of his throat. His poor mother. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to forgive himself for leaving her for so long. “I… I’m sorry… Mom, I’m sorry… I’m so, so s-sorry… I really am...” His words choked in his throat and he trailed off, sobbing.

Sally wiped her own tears. “Shh, shh, it’s okay. Baby, baby, I’m not mad. Don’t cry,” She pulled away slightly and cupped Percy’s face in her hands, wiping his tears. 

Percy put his hands over hers. “I… I’m so sorry, Mom. I know… I know you’re not mad, but…” 

“... But you still feel bad?” 

Percy nodded. 

“... Can you tell me what happened? Even just a tiny bit?”

Percy looked up. The warmth in Sally’s eyes was unmistakable. “... Okay.” He took a deep breath. “I… I was memory wiped. Sent to California. Wound up in... in the ranks of some Roman demigods. They sent me on a quest. To… to Alaska. I called you from Alaska.”

Sally nodded. “You did.” She paused and took a deep breath. “... Thank you. I… I didn’t realize…”

“I called you as soon as I knew who I was.”

Sally kissed his cheek. “You’re such a good boy.”

“Thanks.” Percy’s voice broke and a tear ran down his cheek. He swallowed painfully and sighed. “Anyway, Nico found me in the Roman ranks like Annabeth told you. I didn’t… didn’t remember who he was at the time. Poor guy must have been shaken by that. I guess he told the others because not a month later Annabeth showed up.”

“I wasn’t alone,” Annabeth broke in. "I showed up with a few others."

“... And they needed me for another quest, so… I couldn’t refuse. I had to go with. Today was the first day I could… could come home.”

“... Are you staying?” Sally asked. 

Percy nodded. “Yeah.” He sniffled. “The quest is over now.”

Sally visibly relaxed. “Good. Thank the gods.” Her voice broke. “My baby boy is home.”

Percy took a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m… I’m home.” He nested his head in her shoulder again. 

“If I may interrupt your moment, where’s Paul?” Annabeth asked. 

“He’s taking a nap. You wanna go get him?” Sally asked.

“Yeah. I’ll go do that.” Annabeth stood up and walked to the back of the apartment where Sally and Paul’s bedroom was.

Sally nodded. “Paul missed you too, Percy. He… he wanted to go out to Camp Half-Blood and… and I don’t know what his plan was, but he wanted to go look for you…”

Percy’s eyes filled again. His throat tightened. He whimpered a little bit.

Sally rubbed gently between his shoulder blades. “It’s just all hitting you at once, isn’t it?”

Percy nodded. 

Sally held him until she heard voices coming into the room. “Damn,” Paul was saying. “And you said that’s the _short_ version?”

“Yeah,” Annabeth replied. 

“Jesus. Well, I’m happy you two are safe.” Paul laughed a little. “I was worried as hell.”

“Oh, I was too.” Annabeth was laughing. Sally heard Percy whimper. He could probably hear everything that was going on as well. She held him a little tighter. 

“Honestly? I really only started to worry when _you_ stopped showing up.” Paul gave a sheepish laugh. 

There was a pause, then a loud thud sounded and a shriek rang out. Sally couldn’t see what was going on. “Is everyone okay?”

“She tackle-hugged him,” Percy sniffled. 

Sally chuckled despite herself. 

“Okay, okay,” Paul reassured. “It’s not a big deal. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t dead somewhere, that’s all.”

Sally heard Annabeth whimper. 

“... Annabeth? Annabeth? Can you let me up, please? You’re heavy.”

Sally pulled away from Percy and turned her head. Annabeth sat on the floor, Paul right across from her. “You okay?” 

Paul nodded. “I’m fine.”

“She didn’t hurt you too bad, did she?” Percy asked, his voice shaking.

Paul turned. “Percy! No, no she didn’t.” He got up and sat down next to him. “You all right? Not hurt?”

Percy wiped his eyes and shook his head, carefully letting go of Sally. “No, I’m not hurt. I’m okay.” 

Paul sighed. “Thank God.” He held out his arms. “Bring it here, son. I’ve missed you.”

Percy grabbed Paul in a bearhug. “Thanks… thanks.” Percy sniffled. “I… I missed you too.”

Paul patted Percy’s back. “Hey, we’re together. That’s all that matters now, right?”

Percy nodded. “I… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault,” Paul reassured. “You’re a good kid. You wouldn’t just flee on us unless something was really wrong.”

Percy felt a few more tears trace down his cheeks. “... Thanks… thanks.”

“No problem.”

Paul pulled away and Percy hastily scrubbed the tears out of his eyes. “Again… thanks.”

“No problem.” Paul took note of a small pink trident-shaped scar on his arm. “What’s this from? Do you mind me asking?”

“They’re from the Romans. I’m guessing Annabeth told you about…”

“Yeah, she did.”

“Yeah. It’s a legion thing. They give you a branding when you enter the legion and then they brand another mark on you for every year you’re there.”

Sally took Percy’s arm and touched the mark, shaking her head. “Well, it’s good to see that in fifteen hundred years the Romans haven’t lost their stride. Did it hurt?”

“A little,” Percy admitted. “Not nearly as bad as other things I’ve been through.”

Sally nodded. She placed a kiss on the scar, and Percy made no attempt to pull away. “Well, I’m glad it didn’t hurt much.”

“Me too,” Percy admitted, a laugh bubbling up despite himself. He gave Sally another quick hug. “I… I’m so glad to be… to be home, gods, I… I…” He swallowed heavily. 

Paul patted his back. “You’re having trouble processing it all, aren’t you?” 

Percy nodded. 

“That’s understandable,” Paul nodded. “It must be… be a bit of a shock.”

Percy nodded again.

“It is,” Annabeth agreed. “I mean, it’s always weird to come back into the mortal world after camp, but…”

“This is different,” Percy murmured. His voice was hoarse.

There were nods. Sally rubbed circles on Percy’s back. “... Is there anything I can do to make it better?”

Percy shook his head. “No. You’ve… you’ve done… you’ve done enough.” He leaned on his mom’s shoulder, crumpling down to fit better against her. 

Annabeth noticed that the dark circles under his eyes looked more pronounced than normal. She didn’t know quite what to say. It had always been so easy to talk to Percy, but now… 

“Annabeth?” Paul asked, gently waving a hand in front of her face. “You still in there?”

Annabeth nodded. “I’m just thinking, that’s all.”

Paul nodded. “Okay. Just making sure.”

 _Why do you care?_ Annabeth couldn’t help but think. “Yeah. Thanks.” Annabeth leaned in and touched Percy’s hand. “You okay?”

Percy nodded. 

There was a pause. Sally stroked Percy’s hair. “I kept your room the way you left it.”

“Because you were afraid of it, or because you love me?”

Sally paused. “... A bit of both, honestly.”

Percy nodded. “I love you, too.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jesus, fuck! I finally got my act together and got the second part of this out. Only took me what, eight months?  
> I'm gonna be honest, I wrote almost all of this chapter in the last ~3 hours. I'm just glad it got produced.

Time passed. Percy went to go take a nap as he hadn’t been sleeping well at night since Tartarus. Sally and Paul sat Annabeth down at their kitchen table. “So…” Paul started, “Sally and I… have some concerns.”

Annabeth’s heart dropped into her gut. “... What kind of concerns?”

“They’re about Percy.”

Annabeth nodded.

“I worry… I worry about his… mental health,” Paul managed. 

“... You don’t think I’m a bad influence on it, do you?” Annabeth asked hesitantly.

“No. If anything, I think you’re the one thing keeping him from suicide,” Paul blurted. “You and Sally.”

Annabeth’s eyes stung. “... Thanks.”

“Oh, of course,” Paul nodded. “But… I just feel like… I want you to be careful with him. Now, I don’t know him as well as you do, but I worry that he could be… a danger to himself.”

“He’s not,” Annabeth blurted. “He’s not. If he were really that suicidal he would have just let the monsters eat him by now.” She couldn’t believe it. She didn’t _want_ to believe it. Percy wasn’t just her _friend,_ her _boyfriend_ . He was a _part_ of her. She’d gone through _hell_ for him. He couldn’t just… end it.

Paul nodded, his eyebrows furrowed. “If you say so. Just… be careful.”

“Please,” Sally whispered. “Please be careful.”

Annabeth nodded. “I will. You know I will. I’ve never… I’ve never failed you, have I?”

Sally shook her head. “That’s why I trust you.”

“Thanks,” Annabeth murmured. 

Sally stood up and pulled Annabeth into a hug. “No, thank _you,”_ she whispered. “Thank you. You’re protecting my boy when I can’t, I owe you… I owe _you.”_

Annabeth shut her eyes, nested her face in Sally’s shoulder and hugged back, tears stinging her eyes. “I… thank you.” Her voice broke and she bit her lip.

Sally pulled away. “Why… why are you crying?”

Annabeth shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Sally brushed a tear off of her cheek and hugged her again. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe. It’s okay. You can stay here as long as you like. My home is yours, okay, honey? Whatever you need, we’ll find a way to get it.”

Annabeth hugged tighter and a sob broke from her throat. “Th-thank… thank you…”

Sally patted her wet cheeks dry. “You’re welcome. It’s okay. I promise.”

“Don’t promise me anything. You’ll wind up breaking it.”

Sally looked into Annabeth’s eyes, her blue eyes sad. “Okay. I won’t. How about… I’ll do my best to make it okay?”

Annabeth nodded and rested her head on Sally’s shoulder, closing her eyes. “Okay. I know you’ll do that.”

Sally rubbed circles on her back. “Thank you.”

Annabeth nodded. 

Sally smiled a little as Annabeth melted against her. Paul was right, this girl was heavy. “Anyway… I don’t want you to worry yourself sick about Percy. I really think that as long as you’re with him he’ll be okay. You… I’ve noticed that… you kind of keep him level a bit, you know?”

Annabeth’s mind flashed back to Tartarus. She remembered the wild look in Percy’s eyes as he had drowned Misery, in the moments before it had been obscured by her own hot tears it had terrified her. “... Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who can.”

Sally carded her fingers through her hair. “Well, I’m glad someone can. Gods know he needs it. It… I mean, it just hurts to see him on edge all the time, you know? And… I’m gonna guess it’ll be even worse after… whatever happened to him on the quest,” she sighed. 

“... Yeah,” Annabeth whispered. “... That could be true.”

They gave each other one last squeeze before letting go. “Well,” Sally murmured. “... There’s not much we can do but be there for him, I suppose.”

Annabeth nodded. “... Yeah.”

There was a pause. Annabeth drifted towards Percy’s room. She knew where it was. She’d stayed the night multiple times. She opened the door a crack. Percy was lying in bed, wrapped in a blue comforter. Annabeth thought back to the time she’d spent sleeping in his bed while he was gone, curled up in that same comforter, her tears staining the fabric, her hair and body transferring its scent to the blanket. She wondered if it still smelled like her.

She sat next to Percy in his bed. “... Seaweed Brain?” she whispered. 

No response. Percy murmured something in his sleep. Annabeth leaned in and hugged him through the comforter, slinging an arm around him. She wanted to hear what he was dreaming about, if for no other reason than because she wanted to make sure he wasn’t having nightmares. She held her breath and listened.

“... Annabeth…?” he murmured. 

“I’m here,” she responded.

“... I don’t want… mm. Don’t hurt her.”

“No one’s hurting me, Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth responded gently.

“Don’t you dare. Don’t you fucking dare. She- I said don’t you DARE. Don’t you FUCKING-- ANNABETH!” Percy’s body jerked upright, out of Annabeth’s arms. 

Annabeth sat up and put a hand on his back. She noticed suddenly that he wasn’t wearing a shirt. “Hey. Hey. It’s okay. I’m here, okay?”

Percy didn’t respond. His chest and shoulders heaved. 

Annabeth leaned in and held him close. “Hey. Hey. I’ve got you. I’m right here. I’m here.” She kissed him between his shoulders. “I love you, okay?”

He finally turned, his eyes focusing in on her for the first time. She let him go, letting him turn, letting him see her. “... Annabeth,” he croaked. 

“Percy,” she murmured. She put her arms out. “Come here. It’s okay.”

Percy fell into her arms. “... I’m so sorry.”

She lay down, holding him, easing his head against her chest. “It’s okay. It was only a nightmare. We all have nightmares.” She gently stroked his hair, sighing gently at how soft it was. “... Can you tell me what…?”

“... I don’t know,” he sighed. “... I… you…” He took a deep breath. “... I can’t… I don’t know if I can talk about it.”

“... Okay,” Annabeth whispered. “Do whatever you need to do. I just thought… I just thought that maybe talking about it would make you feel better.”

“... I don’t think so.” Percy’s voice was shaky. 

“... Okay,” she whispered. “... Then just focus on me, okay?”

Percy nodded. She heard him breathe in deeply a few times, trying to calm himself. “... You smell nice.”

Annabeth blushed. “... Thanks.”

“No problem.” Percy took another deep breath. “... You’ve ruined lemons for me, you know that?”

Annabeth snorted. “I’d love to hear how I ‘ruined lemons for you.’ Please.”

“... Because you smell like lemons. And every time I smell lemons I think of you.”

“... That’s kind of sweet, actually,” Annabeth replied. 

“... It’s annoying,” Percy murmured. “I can’t drink lemonade anymore, and my mom _makes_ that shit.”

Annabeth ruffled his hair. “Well, I’m sorry.”

“You’re forgiven,” Percy sighed, relaxing. His body was a deadweight in her arms. “... Thank you.”

“... It’s no problem,” Annabeth replied, gently carding fingers through his hair.

There was a long silence. Annabeth listened to Percy’s breathing, trying to sync her own with it, but finding it too difficult. The cadence of Percy’s breath was too quick compared to her own, only by a beat, but it still felt like hyperventilation. “... Percy?” she whispered. “Are you still upset?”

“... A little,” Percy sighed. “... I… I don’t… I don’t know how to talk about it.”

“... Try,” she whispered. “Please. For me.”

“... You died,” Percy managed. “That’s all. You died.”

“... I’m sorry,” Annabeth whispered. “.. I’m so sorry.”

“... It’s not your fault.” Percy pressed his face into her a little more. 

Annabeth gently carded fingers through his thick hair. “I know, but… I’m still sorry. I don’t… I don’t know what else to say.”

“Then… tell me you’re gonna be okay.” His voice sounded strange. 

“I’ll be okay,” Annabeth replied. “I’m gonna be okay. We… we’re gonna go to New Rome together next year. We’re gonna go to college. We’re gonna get degrees in stuff. We’re gonna get married and we’re gonna be happy someday.”

“... Happy,” Percy murmured dreamily. “Happy.”

“Yeah,” Annabeth cooed. “Happy.” Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. “... Speaking of happy, Percy, your mom is… she’s really scared for you.”

“... She thinks I’m going to kill myself,” Percy murmured. “I know.”

“Really?” Annabeth asked. “You already knew?”

“Yeah. She’s been worried for years. I… I made the mistake of… I made the mistake of telling her that I wished I was dead at a point on an earlier quest and ever since she’s been worried. I’ve never done anything self-- well, actually, never mind. She doesn’t know that I’ve ever done anything self-destructive.”

“... Meaning you’ve done self-destructive things in the past?” Annabeth whispered. 

“... I don’t want to talk about it,” Percy replied flatly. 

Annabeth didn’t know how to respond. “... Fine. But… if you… if you ever need to… ever need to talk about anything, I… I’m here for you, okay? Your mom is too, and Paul, and Grover, and any of the other members of the Seven. Tyson, too.”

“Right,” Percy snorted. “Tyson. If I ever need my ribs crushed, I know where to go.”

“Don’t make me laugh,” Annabeth scolded through chuckles. “We’re having a serious conversation here.”

“No, yeah, seriously, I appreciate it.” Percy looked up at her, his gaze warm. “Thank you.”

“... You’re welcome, but…” she sighed. “There’s gonna… there’s gonna come a day when you’re gonna need to tell me about the self-destruction, okay? Or if not me, then at least somebody.”

Percy closed his eyes. “... That’s harder than you think.”

Annabeth stroked his hair. “... That’s okay. I just…” She took a deep breath. “... I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“... Thanks,” Percy whispered. His face felt warm. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself either.”

Annabeth chuckled. “... I’ll do my best, Seaweed Brain.”

Percy let himself lie in her arms for a few minutes more before sitting up. “... Gods, I… I just came to terms with… I just realized… I guess I just remembered where I was.”

“Yeah,” she cooed. “You’re home. _We’re_ home.”

“Home,” Percy whispered, smiling vaguely. He stood up, pulling on the nearest shirt. “I’m gonna go tell my mother I’m okay.”

“You should. Put her and Paul’s minds at ease a bit,” Annabeth requested. 

Percy nodded, turning and leaving for the door. “... You coming?”

Annabeth stood up. “... I… sure! Sorry, I’m not used to… I’m not used to being… I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

Percy put his arm around her waist. Annabeth leaned into the touch. “Let’s go.” They left the room and moved to the kitchen. 

Sally and Paul were talking quietly. “... I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do,” Sally was whispering. “I don’t. Percy, he… he… I love him, and I don’t want him to…”

“I’m not gonna kill myself, Mom,” Percy cut in. 

Sally flinched violently. “Percy! I… I thought you were sleeping!”

“I was. Then I woke up. Annabeth told me what you said to her,” Percy replied. He flopped into a chair next to Sally. 

“... She did, eh?” Sally chuckled. “Should have known. Anyway, I… you know I worry about you, right?”

“You’ve been telling me for years,” Percy responded. 

“I know, but… I’m sorry. I see… I see you… it hurts me to see you so sad, okay?” Sally held his hands in hers. “You’re my only kid, Percy. I can’t… oh, gods.” She leaned over and grabbed him tightly in a hug. “... I can’t lose you.”

Annabeth watched as Percy’s gaze became unfocused, his lip trembled. He buried his face in Sally’s shoulder. “... I’m sorry,” Percy whispered. “... I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know, sweetie, I know,” she whispered. “I know you didn’t mean to cause any pain. You’re just hurting is all, and you don’t know how to deal with it, and your… your pain just bleeds out all over you and me and everyone else who loves you. It isn’t your fault.”

“... Thanks,” Percy responded, his voice barely audible even to Sally. “Thank you so much for everything.”

“You’re welcome, honey. I love you,” she replied.

“... I love you too, Mom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last part of this, I believe. For real this time. If I write about Percy's self-destructive issues it'll be somewhere else. Probably in my drabble doc. Which you should read if you enjoyed this. It has basically everything but smut. Shippy stuff, sibling fluff, crack, hurt-comfort, etc etc etc.

**Author's Note:**

> This may get another chapter, it may not. I have a bit more material but it's not quite cohesive yet so it may be a little while before it gets posted. Stay tuned.


End file.
